The invention is based on a method and apparatus for varying the spacing of sequential ignition control pulses emitted by a transducer which controls an ignition device. Phase spacing of the pulses is influenced with a phase-control circuit. In a known method of this kind, in order to vary the instant of ignition for the entire operational range of the internal combustion engine, a phase delay circuit is provided between the voltage-controlled oscillator and the phase comparison circuit of a phase control circuit; the delay time of this phase delay circuit is variable in accordance with operating parameters of the engine. In this method, a signal emitted by an ignition angle transducer is present at the input of the phase comparison circuit, which is delivered to the ignition device of the engine after having been corrected by way of the voltage-controlled oscillator. With this apparatus, however, only a phase advance of the control signal picked up at the voltage-controlled oscillator, that is, an advance with respect to the control signal emitted by the ignition angle transducer, can fundamentally be attained (See German Offenlegungsschrift i.e., laid open application, No. 27 08 245).